How to choose a deck for me?

Imagine you're in a bookstore. You browse through the magazines, order a cup of coffee from the in-house coffee shop, and between skimming the first few pages of a thrilling new crime novel from your favorite author you find you have wandered into the New Age section. You've walked down the aisle before, but never payed it very much thought, yet today you feel a curiosity well up inside of you and reach for a book on tarot cards.

As you flick through the pages and examine the pictures therein, you, being an open-minded person, decide to give the whole thing a shot and buy a tarot deck of your very own! As you look up and reach your hand out to grab a deck similar to the pictures in the book, you stop. Taking a good look, you see that there are several different decks lining the shelves, each one unique and eye catching. How could you ever choose a deck among all these choices?

Conventional wisdom states that you need only browse through the collection and pick one that is visually appealing or one that "feels right" or "calls" to you. As you scan the numerous decks laid out before you, you find that there are several that you are drawn to and you find it overwhelming to try and chose a deck you like more than the rest!

There is the traditional one featured in the book, sure to help you memorize the basics. Maybe you could choose a deck based on the types of questions you want to divine the answer for, like the cute one with cherubs for questions about love, or the one with the regal looking guy on the throne for questions about finances. Perhaps this one with it's stunning and bold use of color, or the deck with the light pastels an watercolor vibe. Maybe one with a simple minimalist design that won't be quite so gaudy. You're planning on throwing a killer Halloween party this year, so maybe the deck with the dark fantasy art or rotting zombies would be the right pick. There is of course this deck featuring your favorite cartoon show characters wearing funny clothes and posed in ways you never thought you'd see them. Even still, there is a completely blank deck for those creative and skilled enough to come up with their own designs!

Among the myriad choices there is no right or wrong deck, only one that you feel comfortable with. Some people choose a single deck and stick with it the rest of their lives, and others go through several throughout their lifetime. You could have any number of unique decks and go back and forth depending on your needs or the needs of your client, should you decide to take your practice that far. Regardless of what you decide, to choose a tarot deck is the beginning an exciting adventure, one that will send you sprawling into the depths of your subconscious and lead you on a path of self discovery!